


I'll Never Let You Go

by memoriesaremine



Category: Black Friday - Team StarKid, StarKid Productions RPF
Genre: Barneston, F/M, FUCK stanley, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Soulmate AU, tattoo soulmate au, theyre babey, tom is the only man i trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:41:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23956294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/memoriesaremine/pseuds/memoriesaremine
Summary: In a soulmate AU where the name of your soulmate is tattooed on your ribs, Becky has never shown her husband her tattoo, for fear of his reaction if he saw the name scrawled on her ribs.Tommy.
Relationships: Becky Barnes/Tom Houston
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24





	I'll Never Let You Go

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of Kat @justasidekick and I's quest to fill the Barneston tag

Becky looked up at the clock. 5 AM. Time to get up for her shift. She groaned and crawled out of bed, smoothing her red curls around her shoulders. She didn’t love being a nurse, to say the least. It required long hours and draining days, and she didn’t even want to be a nurse. It was Stanley’s idea.

Speaking of. 

Becky looked down and triple checked that the tattoo on her ribcage was covered completely by her shirt. Stanley couldn’t see the name written on it. 

Tommy.

Stanley didn’t have a name. She’d never seen one before. She wondered why. 

She knew he’d be furious if he ever found out about her name. She’d just always let him believe that the name tattooed on her was his. It was safer that way. He’d asked to check before, which she promptly refused and thank God for the law or she would probably be dead. 

Stanley was still in bed, fast asleep. He hadn’t come home till late last night. He’d been out drinking, as he usually was. Becky couldn’t complain. She began to get ready, being quiet as she made a coffee thermos. 

Becky walked out the door at 5:45, just as she heard Stanley stir in the bedroom. Good. She didn’t want to have to speak with him today. 

She got into her tiny car and began to drive. Her commute wasn’t long. Ten minutes with no traffic, and this early in the morning, there wasn’t any. 

On her way, she reminded herself that she had to run to the store on her lunch break, to get a toy for a sick child.

She continued to drive to the hospital but stopped at Beanies for a breakfast sandwich. She never ate breakfast at home. That would wake Stanley up.

“Good morning,” She greeted the barista as she entered the store, giving her a bright smile. She was one of the only people in Beanie’s this early.

“Morning,” The Barista replied. “What can I get for you?” 

“Just a bacon egg and cheese sandwich, please.”

“Sure thing.” The barista rang Becky up and gave her change for a twenty. She moved to make Becky her sandwich and Becky sort of waited awkwardly by the counter, alone. 

“Becky?” She heard behind her and turned. 

“Tom?” She asked, her face turning red. Tom was the name on her ribs. She’d never asked to see his. It would’ve killed her in high school if his name hadn’t been hers. Deep down, she still wished it was. 

“Hey, Beck, how are you?” He asked, adjusting his jacket. It was a chilly November morning. He hadn’t really shaved and he, in Beck’s eyes, looked as cute as ever. 

“I’m good!” Becky replied. She couldn’t think of the last time Stanley had asked how she was. “How are you?” 

“Oh, I’m fine,” Tom said with a shrug. “Just about starting my day at school.” 

“Do you teach?” She asked, taking her sandwich from the barista with a “thank you”. Tom nodded.

“I’m the shop teacher at Hatchetfield High. What about you?” He asked, and Becky just gestured to her scrubs.

“Pediatric ward at St. Damien’s.” 

“I didn’t take you for a nurse kind of girl.” Tom said and Becky felt a little pang in her chest. She was squeamish and hated blood and sickness, but when Stanley made her go into nursing school, she had no choice but to toughen up against it.

“Well,” Becky said looking down. “Stanley thought it’d be a good idea for me to go to nursing school. So I did.” 

“Stanley...like Stanley Brown?” Tom asked, “You married Stanley Brown?” The disbelief in his voice matched Becky’s hatred for Stanley. 

“Yes. Yes I did,” Becky said. Why had she done that? Becky had no clear answer. Her Midwestern family had old, Midwestern values and after she and Tom had separated, Stanley was….her only option. He seemed to make the cut, which Tom had not. 

“I didn’t think you were his type. He went for...less confident girls, if I’m remembering correctly.” He shook his head. 

“I didn’t think I was his type either.” 

“Does he make you happy, Beck?” Tom asked and Becky’s face paled.

The honest answer was absolutely not. Did she tell him that? 

“He does.”

No.

“Then I’m happy for you, truly.” He didn’t have a wedding ring on. 

“Thanks, Tom,” Becky replied. God she just wanted to blurt the honest truth to him. That Stanley was just awful to her and that Tom was the kind of person Becky wanted. 

“What are you doing tonight? It’s a Friday. My kid’s with my sister-in-law so I don’t have him tonight.” 

“You have a son?” Becky asked, a pang of longing creeping into her voice. She had always wanted children. But not with Stanley. She couldn’t subject a child to that. “What’s his name?” 

“Tim. He’s 9. Cute kid, doesn’t sit still though.” He laughed softly. 

“Most kids that age don’t,” Becky replied, laughing softly. 

“So what are you doing tonight?” Tom asked. 

“Nothing.” The longer she stayed out of the house, the less time she would have to deal with Stanley. 

“You could come to mine and have a drink, or something?” He offered.

“I’d like that.” 

Her shift at the hospital seemed to fly by. 7-7 and she was doing the same motions she did every day. Check on the kids, administer medication, run tests, admit new kids and release healthier ones. 

She forgot to go out during her break, but it could wait until tomorrow. She rethought her plan to go see Tom. If Stanley found out, she’d probably be dead. But...she could just say she had to stay late with a patient. Get groceries. Anything to actually cover her tracks. 

The reckless, high school girl she wished she still was didn’t care what Stanley thought. She was going to go see Tommy tonight and everything would be okay. For the first time in years, Becky listened to that girl in her head. 

7 o’clock came and Becky practically rushed out of the hospital. She got in her car and sped to Tom’s house. She didn’t think. Thinking would send her back home to Stanley for fear of him finding out. 

“Hey, Beck.” Tom smiled when he opened the door to see her. “Come on in.” He stepped out of the way so she could come in. A little boy was sitting on the couch, playing Minecraft. 

“Hi, Tom,” Becky said. She could feel herself blushing as though it was their first date. “How was school?” 

“Good, good,” Tom said. “Emma, my sister-in-law, will be here in a minute to pick up Tim.” 

“That’s alright. He likes Minecraft, I see.” She smiled softly, “The kids at the hospital love that game too.” 

“It’s a kid thing, I guess,” Tom said with an affectionate smile at his son. “How was your shift at the hospital?” 

“Not bad. Just did the usual stuff.” She took her hair down from its ponytail, shaking it out. “Your house is nice. Clean.” She smiled at him. Her house was a mess. Stanley didn’t keep it clean for long.

“Yeah, I like to keep it at least somewhat clean. For Tim, you know?” Tom glanced over at him. “Though Tim’s room could use some TLC.” She laughed at that.

“It’s not that bad,” Tim protested. “It’s fine!”

The sound of a car pulling into the driveway sent Tim running to the door. “Auntie Emma’s here!” He announced. 

“You still have to clean your room at some point,” Tom chided. “Have fun, bud.” 

“Auntie Emma and Uncle Paul won’t make me!” He giggled, getting up and grabbing his stuff. “Bye, Dad, love you.” He hugged Tom tightly.

“Love you too, kiddo.” Becky watched Tim disappear out the door and into the car. 

“He’s a very happy kid.” She noted. 

“Yeah,” Tom said. 

“Who’s his….mother?” She asked quietly. Tom just looked at the pictures.

“Jane Perkins. We’re divorced now. Her name was in relation to another Tom. My name’s a little too common sometimes. She still loves Tim and we’re on good terms and all that though, which is nice.” He looked back at her. “Any kids?”

“Nope,” Becky said with a shake of her head. “My husband….doesn’t want kids.” 

“You always did, I remember, back in high school.” He looked around, ‘What do you want to drink?”

“Have any white wine?” Becky asked softly. 

“I don’t think so? Sorry.” Tom looked in the fridge. “Yeah, we don’t.” 

“It’s okay,” Becky shrugged. “Whatever you have is fine by me.” 

“Do you still not drink beer or…?” He turned with a bottle in hand. 

“Um…” Becky looked down. Stanley drank beer. 

“Alright, do you want water or something else?” He caught on rather quickly. Tom was good at spotting when she wasn’t feeling the best with an idea.

“Water sounds good,” Becky said casually. She didn’t feel like drinking tonight anyway. Tom got her some water and gave it to her. “Thanks.”

She wanted to ask about his soulmate tattoo. Jane’s had been spoken about, but Becky had never seen his. She’d never shown him hers either in fear it wasn’t the same. She wondered if it might chase him away. She didn’t want to do that. 

“Of course, Beck.”

The nickname still stuck after all these years. It made her heart beat a little faster. She still called him Tommy in her head. She refused to call him out loud in fear of scaring him away.

“So, um, how’re things?” Becky asked. 

“Good. As good as they can be.” He also got a water. She let out a little sigh of relief at that. They both would be sober when they talked. “How are things for you? I mean, I know I asked a bit earlier, but....” 

“Good as they can be.” She repeated him. That was a lie. 

“Beck…” Tom said. “You know I can tell when you’re lying. I still remember from high school.” 

“What does your tattoo say?” She asked quietly. She let it slip. Shit. He’d hate her forever now. 

Tom looked her in the eye. “It says Beck.” Her face went red. That wasn’t what she had expected, but the little high school cheerleader inside her was going crazy. Tom Houston had her name on his ribs.

“It...it says Beck?” She whispered. 

“What else would it say?” Tom asked her gently. “Beck, you know I’ve always loved you.” 

“I don’t know, some other girl’s name…” She trailed off at his next statement, going quiet. She stared at her water glass. 

“I mean, I understand if yours doesn’t say my name-” Tom said quickly. 

Becky kissed him. She just closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to his. Then, the pit in her stomach forced her to pull away. If Stanley found out, she was fucked. 

“Sorry-” She said softly. “Sorry, that was stupid, I’m so sorry, Tom.” 

Tom was shell-shocked, eyes wide. “No, no it’s okay,” he stammered. “I-I haven’t felt something like that since, well, high school.” 

“Still, I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking of kissing you-” She looked around. “Your name’s on mine.” She finally admitted. “I never told you in fear it wasn’t reciprocated.” 

“Thank God.” Tom moved closer again. “I missed you, Becky Barnes.” Her eyes went wide and she stepped back. Stanley got way too close for comfort for her, and that reminded her of him.

“You okay?” His voice brought her back for a second. She looked at her hands before nodding.

“Yeah, sorry.” She managed to plaster on a smile. 

“Lying again,” Tom said gently. “Come on, Beck. You can tell me anything.” She just shook her head.

“It’s nothing, Tom.” It wasn’t nothing. It was everything. It was Stanley. She regretted marrying him every day of her life. 

“Okay, Beck,” Tom replied. Just the “okay” made her feel a little shitty. She shouldn’t lie to Tom. She couldn’t. He was her fucking soulmate. The one on her ribs. And she was his. The one on his ribs.

“Okay. I….I’ll tell you,” Becky looked down at the floor. “But please don’t judge me, or think I’m weak, or whatever, please.” 

“Becky,” Tom said gently. “I would never judge you. Ever.” Deep down, she believed it, but so many thoughts were flying through her mind that none of the good ones came to mind. 

“Stanley doesn’t know he’s not my soulmate and I’m afraid he’ll kill me if he finds out,” she blurted. She couldn’t look Tom in the eye. He waited a moment before gently holding his hands out to hers. 

She took them immediately. All these years, and Tom still made her feel safe. 

“Does he hurt you right now?” He whispered, keeping his voice steady, but Becky couldn’t bear to look at his face in fears of seeing tears or a look of disgust plastered across it. 

“Occasionally. When he gets blackout drunk.” 

His grip tightened slightly on her hands.

“And how often is that?”

Becky didn’t want to tell him that it was almost every weekend. “I try to avoid him when he goes out.” 

“Beck, please answer my question.” His voice held no harshness. That was a new thing. No harsh, dark tone to that phrase. 

“He goes out on weekends and gets drunk. If I’m home…” 

“God, I hate him. I hate him so much. He doesn’t deserve you, much less anyone else.” He shook his head. “Has he never seen…?”

“Refused on the wedding night, and I’ve refused ever since.” She shook her head. “Sorry, I’m not used to...talking about it…” 

“It’s okay, Becky,” Tom said gently, giving her hands another squeeze. “Take all the time you need.” 

“Thank you, Tommy.” Becky said, leaning closer to him. 

“I’d do anything for you, Beck.” He whispered. “Honestly.” 

“I’d do anything for you, too,” Becky said. “You have no idea how incredible you are.” 

“You don’t either. You’re the strongest woman I’ve known. Mentally and physically, because back in school, you were ripped-” He smiled down at her, “And you look just as gorgeous now as you did then.” 

“I love you,” Becky murmured. “I always have.” She hadn’t said those three words, meaning it, in years. She said empty ones to Stanley to please him. Whatever made him less dangerous, she’d do it. But now, she had Tom, and while he couldn’t wave a magic wand and make all her problems disappear, he sure could help make her feel worth something. 

“I really really want to kiss you again,” she blurted out. 

“I’m not opposed to that.” He said, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles. 

“Good.” Becky closed the distance between them and pressed their lips together again. She could get used to this. She regretted not telling Tom in high school about her tattoo, but being 31 and an adult who’d accidentally fucked up would suffice as long as he was by her side.


End file.
